Adjustable hand-brace for use in writing



(N'oModL) T. P. PORSYTH. Adjustable Hand Brace for Use in Writing.

No. 235,520. Patented Dec. 14,1880.

MIlNEssEs INVENlHR N4 PETERS, PHUTO-IJTMOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON D 0 'UNITED STATES PATENT @FFrcE.

THOMAS P. FORSYTH, OF GONNELLSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

ADJUSTABLE HAND-BRACE l-"OR USE IN WRITING.

' SPECIFICATION forming To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS P. FoRsYTH, of Oonnellsville, in the county of Fayette and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Adjustable Hand- Braces for Writing; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figures 1, 2, 3, and L are views of hands illustrating the operation of my improved braces. Fig. 5 is a top view of the brace, and Figs. 6 and 7 are side views of the braces.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each.

My invention relates to braces or supports to be used upon the hand for the purpose of supporting the thumb and fingers in the proper position for writing, and relieving the muscles from the strain of grasping the pen-holder or pencil.

In writing many persons experience great trouble on account of the tiring of the muscles in grasping the pen or pencil when writingfor any time, causing cramp and pain in the muscles at thebase of the thumb, lower part of the hand, and wrist. Persons who have written a great deal for many years are also often troubled with rheumatism of the hand and wrist, commonly called Scriveners rheumatism, and are often entirely disabled from writing thereby, or theirnerves are rendered so unsteady that their'writing is scarcely legible.

The object of my invention is to support the hand in the proper position and to relieve the hand of the strain of grasping the pen, thus overcoming the cause of cramp and rheumatism in the muscles of the hand and arm, and thereby enabling the user to write more easily and better, and in many cases entirely doing away with the rheumatism and other troubles which have practically disabled many from writing.

It consists, first, of a brace formed of an elastic or. non-elastic flexible band, strap, or ribbon, which fits around the thumb and is passed over or around the first two fingers and fits around the third or fourth, by means of which the hand is braced or supported in the proper position for writing, and no strainpart of Letters Patent No. 235,520, dated December 14, 1880,

Application filed March 27, 1880. (No model.)

ing of the muscles is necessary in grasping the pen; and, second,in making the brace adjustable to fit any sized hand.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my improvement, I will now describe its construction.

1n the drawings, my invention is illustrated in some of the positions on the hand in which it-has been found a great aid in writing. The band-strap A is preferably formed of an elastic substance, such as an elastic braid or ribbon, as, on account of its yielding to the movements of the hand, it gives a freer movement in writing, and on account of binding the hands when worn tight, as set forth hereinafter, holds the hand against the pen or pencil, and does away with the necessity of grasping it. Good results are obtained, however, from the use of a non-elastic band or strap, and it forms an efficient brace.

The band A is formed into a loop secured together at the ends, and is provided with one or more clasps or buckles, b, fitting over the band and adjustable thereon, so that the loop or loops of the band may be made of any desired length. In practice 1 generally arrange three clasps or buckles, b b 12 on the band A, so as to divide the hand up into four loops, 0, 0, c and 0 for the purposes hereinafter set forth.

The clasps or buckles I) are formed with two slots, 1', Fig. 5, through both of which the two folds of the bands are passed, the band holding therein by friction when in use, but being capable of adjustment through the buckles,

when loose, to change the sizes of the different loops to suit the wearer of the brace.

When the brace is made with four loops the first one, o, is used for the thumb, and the next one, o, is generally used for the first two fingers, while the third, 0 is used for the third, or third and fourth fingers, the remaining loop, 0 being formed of the surplus part of the band not needed in the other loops, part of all of which include the support of the thumb and either the third or fourth finger, so as to hold it in the proper and easiest position for writing. When but one buckle is used in the band it is generally placed first around the thumb, then up over the base-joints of the first two fingers, and then passed around the third finger, the surplus beyond the buckle 1) extending beyond the third finger. By this an rangement of the brace the thumb and third finger are supported, and the hand, therefore, is thrown into the easiest position for writing. The thumb and first two fingers are alsodrawn together by the elastic band and held thereby against the pen-holder, thus doing away with any strain on the muscles in griping it when writing, and relieving the hand from any exertion except that ot'guiding the movement of the pen. With this brace the pen can either be used between the thumb and first linger, or between the first two fingers, as desired. By placing it under the lower band and over the upper one, as shown, it will be held in place even when not grasped by the fingers.

When the band with three buckles is used -the first loop is generally placed over the pen-holder can also be placed in the second loop, 0, below the first finger, when the elastic band will hold it against said linger in the proper position for writing.

The adjustable brace can also be used in many other different ways for supporting the hand (not necessary to be stated here) and good results be obtained from all, as each user will probably find some particular manner of using it which is best suited to him. It can be adjusted to fit the different-sized hands by simply moving the buckles to make the loops the proper size.

By the use of my improved brace the hand is entirely relieved from strain, as the muscles are only used in guiding the movement of the pen. It therefore overcomes cramp and rheumatism in the hand, steadics the nerves, and enables parties hitherto almost entirely disabled from writing to write legibly and with ease.

The brace can be used with equal advantages with a pencil or brush, in writing,drawing, or painting, as with thepen-holder, as described.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A hand-brace for use in writing, formed ot'a tlexible hand, strap, or ribbon adapted to fit around the thumb and be looped around one of the fingers, so as to support the hand in writing, substantially as and for the pur' poses set forth.

2. in a hand-brace for writing, the combination of the flexible hand, strap, or ribbon A, adapted to fit around the thumb and one of the fingers, and one or more clasps or buckles, b, for dividing the band into loops, substantially as and for the purposes set, forth.

In testimony whereof I, the said THOMAS P. FORSYTH, have hereunto set my hand.

THOMAS P. FORSYTH.

Wi tnesscs:

J. M. MoRRow, JOSIAH KURTZ. 

